August 5th, 2001-January 19th, 2003
x----------x
Prologue
July 25th, 1992.
"The court hereby grants custody of the unborn child to the mother, Talia Balsam." His head dropped and he had to remind himself to breathe. He didn't hear the rest of the verdict; he couldn't do anything but feel the loss of his unborn child.
x----------x
6 years later: Late July, 1998.
Julianna turned the corner and drove her compact little black car towards George's house. She glanced in the side mirrors before turning her gaze back to the road. She saw a small boy walking, his head bent as he shuffled along the sidewalk, alone. She wondered why a boy of his young age was walking alone and where he was going. Julianna slowed the car as the child came closer and she slowly recognized him. She rolled down her window and pulled to the curb. He glanced up at her but continued walking.
"Michael?" Julianna called out. He stopped and turned, looking at her with wide-eyes. He wasn't supposed to talk to strangers. But this woman didn't look like a stranger. She looked familiar and her smile was warm.
"Yes?" He murmured quietly, still looking up at her cautiously. She smiled.
"My name is Julianna." She got out of the car, walked to him and crouched down in front of him. Then Michael remembered why she seemed familiar. There was a picture of her in the house where he was living. He smiled and remembered how he had wanted to touch her hair when he looked at the picture. So, he reached out and gently touched one of her curls, reveling in the texture. Julianna watched him with surprised eyes.
"There's a picture of you at my father's house." Michael said quietly, almost as if he talking to himself. Julianna smiled.
"Yeah, there's a picture of you there, too." Julianna said. Michael's eyes widened.
"You've been to my father's house?" He asked. Julianna smiled and placed on hand on his waist.
"Yeah, a bunch of times." She replied. "So, where are you going?" She asked.
"Home." He replied.
"Where's that?" Julianna asked.
"New York." He replied. Julianna raised her eyebrows.
"Well, that sure is a long way." She said, her eyebrows drawing together as she watched him.
"I want to go back to my house." He said, tears filling his eyes suddenly.
"Oh, honey. Why do you want to go back?" Julianna asked.
"I don't like my father. He's mean." Julianna blinked in shock. She reached up a brushed a lock of his brown hair off of his forehead.
"Why is he mean?" She asked. Michael's eyes filled with tears.
"I don't want to go back there." Michael whispered as the first tear spilled over.
"Aw, sweetheart." Julianna drew the small boy close to her and he wrapped his thin arms around her neck and fisted his hands into her curls as he cried into her shoulder. Julianna rubbed his back and leaned her chin against his head and worried about George.
"Michael!" Julianna's head whipped around at the sound of a man's voice. George came running down the sidewalk and met Julianna's gaze over the boy's head. Michael's grip tightened and his body stiffened against Julianna's.
"George." Julianna said softly and stood, cradling Michael against her. He wrapped his legs around her waist, anchoring himself to her.
"Oh God, Jules. He ran off and the nanny didn't know where he was."
"You have a nanny?" Julianna asked.
"I hired her last week." He replied and looked at his son. "Michael, why did you run off?" George asked, his voice becoming stern. Michael hiccupped against Julianna's shoulder and didn't reply. Julianna rubbed his back reassuringly.
"Michael wants to go back to New York." She said softly, watching George with serious eyes.
"What? Why?" George asked.
"I want to go home!" Michael cried and turned his head to look at George. Julianna saw the flash of hurt in George's eyes and her heart ached for him. Finally, George spoke.
"Here, Julianna let me carry him. He's too heavy for you." George said and reached for Michael. Michael moved away from him, clutching tighter to Julianna.
"No, I want Julianna!" Michael argued and sniffed.
"It's okay, George, I've got him." She murmured and her face flashed with pain when she saw the hurt on his face.
"Alright." George resigned.
"Why don't you drive us back to the house? Michael can sit on my lap." Julianna said softly to George. He watched her for a few seconds before turning and opening the passenger side door for her. Then he walked stiffly around the car to his own side. She watched him briefly before managing to get herself and Michael into the seat. The boy curled on her lap, burrowing his face in her chest, above her breasts.
She watched George's hands grip the steering wheel and she soothingly rubbed Michael's brown hair. George's knuckles were turning white. Julianna reached one hand across the car and touched his arm, trying to sooth him as she was soothing his son. He glanced at her and deliberately relaxed his arm. She smiled softly at him and frowned a bit when he ignored it.
Finally they pulled into George's driveway. They got out of the car and Julianna convinced Michael to walk. He walked but insisted on holding her hand. He glued himself to her side and watched George with wide eyes as they entered the house.
"I think you should go up to your room." George addressed Michael with a strong-as-steel voice. Michael shivered slightly but turned to make his way upstairs. "And Ann," George said, talking to the nanny, "You may leave now. I'll see you tomorrow." Julianna and George watched as Ann, the nanny, left and Michael made his way up the stairs to his room.
"Why did you do that?" Julianna cried, turning to him as soon as Michael disappeared.
"He tried to runaway. He should be punished." George said coolly. Julianna's mouth dropped open.
"George, what is the matter with you?" George stared at her. "He's five years old! His mother just died and he's scared of you, can't you see that? You're not helping matters by ordering him around in that stick-up-your-ass voice!" Julianna exclaimed. George's jaw hardened.
"I think you can leave, too, Julianna." He said it so calmly and coolly that her own heart rate increased with a flicker of fear, but she held her ground.
"God dammit, George, he's just a small child! He's your son!"
"I know he's my son!" George yelled and turned, stalking off to the kitchen. He grabbed a beer from the fridge and popped it open before taking a quick gulp.
"Alcohol is not the answer!" Julianna said loudly. George slammed the bottle onto the countertop and glared at her. She nearly shivered.
"I said you can leave, now."
"Dammit, George, I'm not your nanny or your slave or anything else!" She paused. "Listen to me, George! You should be up there with your son, comforting him and trying to figure out why he's so afraid of you and what you can do to change it."
"Talia told him that I was to be feared." George said it so calmly that Julianna knew there was a world of hurt behind the single muttered sentence.
"She what?" Julianna said quietly.
"Talia told him that I am not a good man, not a good father, that I will hurt him, emotionally or physically I don't know but apparently both."
"Oh, George." She murmured and walked to him. He backed away from her.
"I don't want your sympathy." He said, holding his hands up in front of him. She sighed and stopped walking.
"You have to show him that you're not to be feared." Julianna said.
"How? He won't listen to me because he is afraid of me!" George argued.
"It'll take time. But you have to try." Julianna reached out and touched his arm, running her hand over it.
"I can't." George turned. "I don't know what to do with him. I don't know how to..to talk to him."
"I'll go upstairs and talk to him for awhile. I'll bring him back down here and we can all sit together and talk." Julianna said. George sighed and motioned with his hand toward the stairs.
"Fine, you try to work your mother magic." George said. Julianna stepped back a bit, hurt by his statement. She simply turned quietly and made her way up the stairs, wondering what had gotten into this man she thought she knew so well.
She turned into Michael's bedroom and saw him lying on the bed, a ragged stuffed dog under his arm and studying the light fixture on his desk that sent colorful pictures of dinosaurs twirling across the walls. She walked to the bed and sat down on it.
"Hey." She said softly and brushed her hand over his head. He smiled up at her.
"You didn't leave." He said.
"Nope, I'm here." She replied and smiled in return. He sat up on the bed.
"Are you going to leave?" He asked.
"Later." She said. His face fell a bit and her heart opened to him.
"Do you have to go?" He whispered. She smiled.
"Yes, I have to go home. But I'm staying for a little while." She said. He crawled into her lap, taking his stuffed dog with him. "So, tell me, who's this?" Julianna asked, stroking the puppy's ear. Michael lifted the stuffed animal and buried his face in it and smiled up at Julianna.
"This is Chuck." Michael replied. Julianna's grin widened.
"That's a good name for a good dog." She said. He giggled and reached up, touching her hair again.
"You have curly hair." He said. She laughed slightly.
"Yes, I do."
"Is it real?" He asked. She grinned.
"As real as yours." She said. He smiled and dropped his dog onto his lap and brought his other hand up to her hair.
"I like it." He said. She felt him twist a curl around his finger. He looked back at her, chocolate eyes, matching George's, staring into her own. "Where do you live?" He asked.
"About twenty miles from here." She replied, watching him.
"Can I come home with you?" He asked quietly. "And Chuck?"
"Oh, Michael. You have to stay here with your Daddy." Michael's face fell. "He loves you very much, Michael. You do know that, don't you?" She asked. Michael didn't reply, just dropped his hands from her hair to her shoulders. His bottom lip began to tremble.
"Please take me with you." He said, his eyes filling with tears.
"Oh," Julianna replied and wrapped her arms around the small boy. He buried his face in her neck and she felt his hot tears trickle onto her skin. She rubbed his back reassuringly. "Your Daddy loves you, he does. He just doesn't know how to show you." Julianna murmured into his ear. Michael shook his head.
"He hates me. He's mean." Michael sobbed.
"No, he doesn't hate you, Michael. He doesn't. And he's not mean. He just doesn't know how to act around you. This is new for him, too, sweetheart." Michael stayed silent, quietly crying into her neck.
Julianna held him and talked to him until she thought he might be ready to go downstairs. Finally she took his hand and they made the way downstairs and into the living room. George was standing at the window, looking out. He turned slightly when he heard their feet shuffle on the carpeted floor. He turned the entire way, a snifter of amber colored liquid in his hands. Julianna sighed silently as she recognized the alcohol. He walked to an armchair and placed the glass on the coffee table in front of him before taking a seat. Julianna let go of Michael's hand and walked to the couch, letting him determine where he would sit. Against her silent wishes, he followed her and curled up beside her on the couch, eyeing George warily.
"I see that did a lot of good." George told Julianna and she scowled at him.
"Do you want to help things or make them worse?" She asked quietly. He sighed and shifted in the leather chair.
"Michael." George said and Michael pushed closer to Julianna. She winced at the hurt displayed so openly to her on George's face. "Why did you try to run away?"
"I wanna go home." He said quietly, his brown eyes wide and sleepy. George looked down.
"Your home is here, now." He said. Michael turned his head and looked up at Julianna, hoping for support. She stayed silent but looked down at him. He sighed and looked away from her and back to George.
"I want to live with Julianna." Michael said quietly. Julianna closed her eyes and sighed, missing the pain on George's face but knowing it was there. She re-opened her eyes when she heard him rise from his seat. He grabbed his drink and took a big swallow.
"Well, that settles a lot of things then. You can't go with Julianna. She has her own life." George said and walked off. Julianna sighed.
"Stay right here, okay sweetheart? I'll go talk to your father." She said. Michael nodded and watched as she stood, following George into the kitchen. He was sitting at the island, the glass in his hand and just staring off into space. Julianna lay a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry, George."
"It's not your fault. It's clear he has already developed an attachment to you." He said and drank some more. She sighed and sat in the stool beside him.
"He doesn't mean to hurt you." Julianna said.
"I know." George replied. "He's just a child, but it does hurt." George said and looked at her. She smiled weakly.
"I know it does." She said and squeezed his shoulder. George put the glass onto the table and buried his face in his hands.
"I know you have work and everything, but do you think that maybe you could come see him sometimes? Maybe...Maybe you can open him up or something." George said. Julianna smiled.
"I'll come by often." She paused and thought. "How about you bring him to the set? He can play with Cal and the others. I know you hired Ann, but maybe he'll do better around other children." She said. He sighed and nodded.
"Do you think I should?"
"It'll be good for him. He can see you throughout the day, get to know you better, also." Julianna said. George nodded.
"You're right." He sighed and tried to smile at her. "I'll do that." Julianna glanced at her watch.
"I should be getting home and he should probably be going to bed."
"Would you do it? I don't think I could handle it right now." George said. She smiled softly and patted his hand gently.
"Sure, I'll put him to bed." She said and slid off the stool. She walked back to the living room to find Michael curled into a ball on the couch, asleep. She smiled and bent over him, rubbing his back until he woke. "C'mon, sweetie, let's get you to bed." She said. He wrapped his arms around her neck and she hoisted him up and into her arms, and headed up the stairs, unaware of George's all-seeing eyes following her.
x----------x
George walked from his car, towards the studio, holding Michael's hand loosely in his own. Michael walked warily beside him, wondering if he should be frightened by his father's workplace and the people there, or just of his father. He glanced slightly up at George who was staring straight ahead as they walked. Michael sighed softly, under his breath, and looked down at his tennis shoes.
Michael lifted his head moments later and saw Julianna standing about forty feet in front of them. George looked down at him and watched Michael's face light up and a smile bloom. When Michael's hand slipped from his, George didn't object, just watched as Michael ran to Julianna. Julianna smiled weakly at George before bending at the knees to catch the running Michael.
"Hi Jules!" He exclaimed, using her nickname for the first time without even knowing it. She grinned.
"Hey buddy. What's going on?" She asked.
"I'm going to work with my father." Julianna winced a bit at the use of 'my father'. "Do you work there, too?" Julianna nodded.
"Yeah, I do." She said.
"Can I stay with you?" He asked. She didn't answer him, just smiled at George as he walked to them.
"Hey George."
"Hi Jule." George replied and glanced at Michael who had turned his head away from George when he had walked up. Julianna bent a little, placing Michael back on the ground.
"Hon, you need to go with your Dad." Julianna said. His brows puckered.
"I can't stay with you?" He asked, unaware of the hell he was putting his father through every time he asked that very question.
"No...Not now. You really need to stay with him." Julianna said. Michael glanced up at George and nodded slightly.
"Can I see you later?" Michael whispered, looking back at her. Julianna nodded.
"Sure. I'll come visit you during lunch." Julianna replied and straightened. She smiled weakly at George and they turned and walked to the studio, Michael in between them.
x----------x
"How's he doing?" Julianna asked, coming up to stand beside George later as the crewmen filmed scenes that didn't include the two of them.
"I took him to Laura's trailor. Cal and Hailey were in there. At first he was shy but then he began to play Candy Land with them." George said. Julianna smiled.
"Well, it's good that he's settled in with them." She said. George sighed.
"Yeah. I uh, I'm sorry about the way I acted last night. There is no excuse for it. I know I haven't been treating Michael the way I should, but...I..It's so overwhelming, ya know? I mean..I lost him just over six years ago. I didn't think I'd ever even get to meet him. Then Talia dies and he's mine all of a sudden. It's a lot to handle." George said and rubbed his hand over his cheek.
"Do you want him?" Julianna asked quietly. George closed his eyes momentarily.
"Yes. I do. So much. He's..my son. I just...Everything is all so sudden. We're not used to each other yet." George answered, struggling with the words to say. Julianna nodded and smiled, taking his hand into hers and squeezing gently.
"You'll do fine." She said. He smiled softly, staring into her hazel eyes, studying the flecks of gold around her pupils.
"Thanks, though, for everything. I'm glad you were there yesterday." He said. She smiled, staring back up into his eyes. Her heart began to pound and she swallowed.
"You're welcome." She murmured. He looked at her for a moment more, contemplating whether or not he should give in to his needs and just kiss her, or if he should back away. Finally he realized that she would probably smack him if he kissed her, so he took a step back. She glanced down and when she looked up, Anthony was walking toward them. He smiled.
"Hey." He said. Saved from some awkward conversation, George thought and smiled in return.
"Hey Tony."
x----------x
Julianna turned the knob of Laura's trailer and stepped inside. Laura looked up from her spot on the couch and smiled.
"Hey Julianna." She said. Julianna smiled.
"Hi." She said. Michael looked up from his spot on the floor, playing with trucks, and saw her. His face lit up and he jumped to his feet.
"Julianna!" He said and ran to her. She grinned as he buried his head into her stomach.
"Hey Michael." She pulled him away gently, not noticing Laura's raised eyebrows. Julianna glanced at the other kids. "Hey guys." She said. Cal looked up and smiled.
"Hi Aunt Jules." He said. She grinned at him then looked back at Michael. She ruffled his brown hair a little bit.
"What are you doing?" She asked. He smiled and took her hand, leading her to the floor.
"Playing with Cal's trucks. He said I could." Michael said. Julianna smiled.
"I'm sure he did." Julianna glanced at Laura.
"Have you eaten yet?" Laura asked her. Julianna nodded.
"Yeah, I had a chef salad a few minutes ago." She said. She had wanted to eat before she came and saw Michael, figuring he wouldn't want her to leave. Laura nodded.
"Jule." Michael tugged on her hand.
"What?" She asked, looking down at him.
"Play with me." He said. She raised her eyebrows.
"Play trucks?" She asked. He nodded eagerly. She laughed and looked at Laura.
"Alright, I guess I can come up with something." She said and sat on the floor, curling her legs into Indian style. Michael plopped onto the floor beside her and handed her an ambulance.
"You can be this one." He said. Julianna chuckled.
"Figures." She said. Laura laughed.
"I'll be the fire truck man." Michael said.
"Alright. What do I do?" Julianna asked.
"There's a fire. I have to go save the people and you have to take them to the 'mergency room." He said.
"Cal told him all about our jobs." Laura explained.
"Ah." Julianna said, understanding. "Alright. Let's see if I can do this right." She said and grinned at Michael as he began to make noises, animating his cars.
x----------x
Nearly ten minutes later, George knocked softly on the door of Laura's trailer before slowly pushing into it. He immediately spotted Michael curled up on Julianna's lap, making soft car noises as he drove a truck over her leg. Julianna and Laura glanced at him and smiled. He smiled in return, even though his heart ached slightly at how well Michael was reacting to Julianna. Michael watched George, no longer moving his truck around, but studying him as if wondering what would happen next. He turned a little on her lap and looked up at George.
"Are we leaving?" He asked quietly. George looked at him for a moment before answering.
"Not for awhile." George replied. Michael watched him for a few seconds, unsure if he should believe him. Then he resumed his position on Julianna's lap and began making more truck noises as he drove the car up her arm, onto her shoulder, and into her hair. George stood still for a few moments before finally stepping forward. Laura watched him, wondering what was going on inside his head. Julianna watched Michael, not sure how she should react to George, not knowing if he would be upset with her. The other children played, oblivious to what was going on around them.
Julianna looked up when she heard George sitting down beside her. Michael stopped and looked at George. George smiled softly.
"What are you playing?" He asked. Michael answered softly.
"Trucks."
"Can I play?" George asked. Michael nodded slowly. He turned his head and looked at the trucks. Then he picked out a black one and handed it to George.
"You can play with this one. It looks like your car." Michael said, speaking of George's jeep. George grinned, happy that his son was opening up to him. They played for a few seconds, Michael still a bit wary. Finally Julianna gently slid Michael off her lap. He looked at her, surprise filling his eyes. She smiled.
"I have to go back to work." She murmured. He watched her, no longer sure about being around George if she wasn't there. Julianna stood and smiled at him. "I'll come back and see you before you leave, okay?" She asked. He nodded finally, slowly.
"Okay." He murmured. She smiled.
"Good." She glanced at George and then Laura.
"I'll be out soon." Laura said. Julianna nodded.
"Alright." She replied and left the trailer. Michael studied George for a moment before he himself stood. Then he walked over to the other children and sat with them. George watched him, his heart falling in his chest. He had been hopeful, but now it was as if it had never happened. He glanced at Laura who looked at him sympathetically.
"He'll come around." She said. George nodded and made his way to his feet.
"I'm going to go, too." He said. Laura nodded.
"Michael." George said. The boy turned and looked up at him. "I'm going to go back to work. I'll be in to get you later." George said and then turned, leaving the trailer, despair running through him.
x----------x
"Ron, where is the phone?" Julianna questioned her boyfriend later that night. He looked up at her.
"In the kitchen, I think. Who are you calling?" He asked.
"George." She said and headed toward the kitchen. When she came back out, Ron looked up at her.
"Didn't you just see him?" He asked.
"Yes, but I want to make sure he got Michael home alright. I left before they did and didn't get to see if Michael would even go with him." Ron nodded and turned his attention back to the boxing match that he was watching on television. Julianna rolled her eyes and dialed the number to George's house. He picked it up after the second ring.
"Hello?" He asked.
"Hey George." She said.
"Oh, hi Jules. What's up?" He asked.
"Just wondering if you made it home in one piece." She said. He snorted.
"As tough as it was, I made it." He said.
"Did he fight with you?" She asked.
"No. He asked where you were and if he could go home with you. When I told him you went home, he almost started crying." George said. Julianna felt the strings on her heart tugging her to go over there and reassure the boy. "Anyway, I eventually got him into the car. He hasn't spoken a word to me since, though." George said. Julianna sighed and turned, walking away from Ron and going out onto the back patio. She shut the sliding glass door closed behind her and stood by the pool, watching the shimmering water.
"I'm sorry that I've caused so much trouble." Julianna murmured. George chuckled.
"The kid would be crazy not to get attached to you. You're the mother figure he wants." George said. Julianna sighed.
"But I'm also the mother figure he cannot have." Julianna said. George felt the slash against his heart.
"True." He paused. "I'm hoping that eventually Michael will grow to depend on me."
"Don't worry about it, I'm sure he will." Julianna said. George nodded.
"Yeah. I suppose you're right." George said.
"I am. Well, I better go. Let you go occupy him." Julianna said.
"He's upstairs taking a bath. I asked him if he wanted me to help and he said no. I better go check and make sure he's alright." George said.
"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow then." Julianna said.
"Yeah. Bye Jules."
"Bye George." She hung up and then bowed her head, placing the sturdy antenna of the phone against her forehead. "Dammit, Michael, you're reeling me in. I can't fall in love with a little boy that isn't my own." She said. Then she sighed and straightened, before turning and heading back inside to be with the man she was quickly falling out of love with.
x----------x
The next day Julianna looked out the window of the set and saw George walking toward the building, holding Michael over his shoulder. Julianna's brows knit together and she wondered how George had gotten Michael to let him carry him. She didn't figure that no matter how tired Michael was, that he would let George carry him yet. She pushed out the door and walked slowly toward them.
"Hey." She called out. George forced a small smile.
"Hi." He said and came up next to her.
"What's wrong?" She asked, immediately catching George's worry.
"He has a bit of a fever. 100.6."
"Aww, poor baby." Even though he was awake, Michael barely lifted his head when he saw Julianna. She trailed a hand over his forehead and felt the heat.
"What are you going to do with him?" She asked.
"I figure I'll take him to Laura's trailer and let him sleep there. I'll just tell Hailey that he needs to rest and not play. Then I'll go check on him whenever I can." George said. Hailey was the oldest child on set. She was a cameraman's daughter and was eleven-years-old.
"I'll help you." She said. He smiled.
"Thanks." He said.
"C'mon, lets get him to the trailer." Julianna said. George nodded and followed her to the trailer.
x----------x
They went through work that day, each of them checking on Michael every free moment they got. Finally work was over and George had to take Michael home. Julianna went into the trailer to get him ready, as George was running just a few minutes behind. She nudged Michael, trying to wake him. He groaned and rolled over.
"Michael, honey, it's time to get up." She said.
"No.." He whined.
"Michael, you have to go home. You can go home and get right back into bed. But Daddy has to get you there first." She said. He rolled and looked up at her.
"You come home, too?" He asked. She smiled.
"No, baby, I can't. Maybe some other time." She said. He nodded, too tired and sick to argue. Julianna stood and made her way to the thermometer that Laura had provided them. She brought it back over to him.
"Open up." She said, gently taking his chin into her hand. He opened his mouth and she stuck the thermometer under his tongue and held it there. He shifted, snuggling up against her side as she lay beside him to hold the thermometer. A minute later it beeped quietly. She removed it from his mouth and checked his temperature: 101.9. Which was nothing to worry about yet. She'd tell George to get him some children's Tylenol before he went to bed.
Just then, George walked in. She smiled at him.
"His temp is 101.9. Before he goes to bed you should get him some children's Tylenol."
"I don't have any." George said. Julianna nodded.
"Okay, just give him one regular Tylenol then. That should be okay until you can get some. If his temperature gets too high you should probably call the doctor." Julianna said. George nodded.
"Alright. Thanks Jules." He said. She nodded.
"You're welcome."
"How do you know all this anyway?" He asked.
"Alex's kids. I had them once when she was on vacation and the youngest one got sick. I had to call my mother to see what to do." She grinned. "Guess it paid off. Anyway, I better go." She said. He nodded. Julianna turned and bent down, placing a kiss on Michael's head. "See you later, bud." He nodded and watched her. She smiled and placed a hand on George's shoulder before walking out the door.
"Ready?" George asked. Michael nodded. "Okay. Up we go." George said, pulling Michael into his arms.
x----------x
A little after midnight Julianna was woken to the sound of the phone ringing. She groaned and rolled over, glancing at her alarm clock. Then she picked up the phone, as Ron shifted beside her.
"Hello?" She asked, her voice groggy.
"Jules, it's me. Michael's puking." George said. Julianna sat up in bed and threw her legs over the side.
"Like right now?" She asked.
"Well, he has twice. He thinks he might do it again. I didn't know what to do so I called you." He said.
"Uh..I'll be right over, all right? If he pukes again just...sit with him. I'll be over. Bye." She said and hung up the phone.
"What's wrong?" Ron asked as she hurried to the dresser.
"Michael's really sick and George is freaking out. I'm going over there." She said. Ron sighed and watched her dress quickly in the darkness before he turned and flipped onto his side, pulling the covers tighter around him. "I don't know when I'll be home." She said and raced out of the room and down the stairs.
x----------x
Julianna knocked on the door to George's house and he almost immediately opened it because he had been watching for her.
"He's in the upstairs bathroom." George said. Julianna nodded and walked quickly in front of George. She bound up the stairs and went into the bathroom. Michael was leaning against the wall, cradling his head in his arms. Julianna dropped down beside him.
"Hey Michael." She said gently. He lifted his head, his pale face shining up at her.
"Hi." He croaked. She smiled and rubbed a hand over his head.
"I hear you threw up." She said.
"Three times." He said and lowered his head back to his arms. She glanced at George who was standing stiffly in the doorway.
"Are you going to puke again, do you think?" She asked.
"I don't know." He muttered. "My tummy hurts." He said.
"I bet it does, baby." He lifted his head and looked at her, his face suddenly green.
"I'm going to puke." He said.
"Oh, okay, come on." She lifted him up just as the vomit came, barely making the toilet. He began to cry, gagging over the toilet. Her heart went out to him. George turned his head, nearly sick himself. He wasn't used to dealing with this stuff. "Get a wet washcloth with semi-cold water and a glass of water." Julianna said. George immediately went to his duties. Julianna rubbed Michael's back. He sat back on his heels and let out a childish groan. "C'mere darling." She said and lifted him into her lap. He curled up. George handed her the glass of water. She lifted it slowly to Michael's lips and he took a sip. Then she placed the cup onto the floor and took the wet washcloth. She wiped his mouth gently and then flipped it over, wiping his forehead and his cheeks, cooling him down. "Better?" She asked him.
"Uh-huh." He said and turned his face into her shoulder. She rocked him for a moment.
"Are you going to be sick anymore?" She asked.
"I don't think." He said. She nodded.
"Alright. C'mon, we'll get you back in bed." She said. She stood, cradling him against her. "George, could you get a bucket and a towel to put by his bed in case he doesn't make it to the bathroom if he has to puke again?" Julianna asked.
"Sure." George replied, picking the glass up off the floor. She smiled gently.
"He'll be okay." She said. George nodded and she left the room, slowly walking to Michael's room. She walked to the bed and turned the little lamp on. She sat on the bed, cradling him in her lap. She rocked him slowly, rubbing his hair gently. He cuddled close, growing sleepy. A few moments later George walked into the room, carrying an old brown bucket and a towel.
"Is this good?" He asked. Julianna nodded.
"Yeah. Just spread the towel on the floor beside the bed and put the bucket on it." She said. He nodded and followed her instructions. Then he sat on the bed beside her. She smiled at him.
"Sorry I called you. I was sort of panicking." He said. She grinned and patted his hand.
"It's alright. I understand. I've done it before." She said. He nodded and looked down at his knees. Then he looked back up at Michael.
"You okay kiddo?" He asked. Michael shifted on her lap and nodded, gazing sleepily at George.
"Alright, we better get you in bed. Then I can get home." Julianna said. Michael looked up at her.
"Don't go." He whimpered, wrapping his arms firmly around her neck. Julianna glanced painfully at George, torn between wanting to stay with the child and not intruding on George's life.
"You can stay if you want. You can just go to work with us in the morning. Or you can leave early to go home or something." George said. Julianna nodded.
"Alright." She said, forgetting all about Ron. "Where should I sleep?" She asked.
"With me." Michael replied quickly. She looked down at him.
"How about you bring him into my bedroom." George suggested. "We can all three sleep in my bed." Julianna looked up at him, met his gaze. George, unsure if he had made the appropriate suggestion, waited. Julianna nodded.
"Alright. That's fine." She said. George nodded.
"Okay. I'll take the bucket into my room. I'll put it on your side of the bed, so that if he has to get sick and he tells you, you can get him or..whatever." George said. She nodded.
"Okay." She agreed. He stood, getting the towel and bucket. She stood, holding Michael in her arms. He laid his head on her shoulder and sighed gently. She rubbed his back as she headed into George's room. A few moments later they all climbed into George's bed, Michael between the two adults. Michael turned toward George, but snuggled his back against Julianna's stomach. She wrapped an arm around him and he wrapped his fingers around hers and closed his eyes. George turned off the light beside the bed and slid down. Julianna smiled at him.
"Thanks Jules." He said. She nodded.
"No problem." She said. He closed his eyes and settled in. She watched him for a few moments, wishing what they were doing could be a normal thing. Little did she know, George was wishing the same thing.
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